After binging Cassandra, these Netflix TV show will feed your crave for more grim and bleak stories about identity.
Netflix's latest German thriller series Cassandra has captivated audiences with its unsettling blend of artificial intelligence horror and family drama. The six-episode series, which peaked at #5 on Netflix's Top 10 and holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, follows a family who moves into a smart home controlled by Cassandra, a vintage A.I. assistant from the 1970s. What begins as an exciting fresh start soon descends into psychological horror as the seemingly helpful robot reveals increasingly sinister intentions. Through stellar performances - particularly Lavinia Wilson as the unnervingly sweet robotic antagonist - and a masterful building of tension, Cassandra explores timely themes about A.I., surveillance, and the dark side of technological dependence.
For viewers left craving more cerebral science fiction thrillers after finishing Cassandra, Netflix's international catalog offers several equally compelling series that blend complex narratives with psychological horror and existential themes. These shows share Cassandra's interest in exploring how technology can expose and amplify human vulnerabilities while maintaining a distinctly character-driven approach to their sci-fi premises. From time-bending mysteries to dystopian thrillers, these three series demonstrate the global reach and ambition of Netflix's science fiction programming.
Dark is a mind-bending German series that revolutionized Netflix's international programming with its intricate exploration of time travel, family secrets, and predestination. Like Cassandra's examination of how past technological sins impact the present, Dark weaves together multiple timelines spanning from 1888 to 2053 as it follows four interconnected families in the town of Winden. The series begins with the disappearance of a young boy, which triggers a chain of events that gradually reveals a complex web of relationships across different time periods.
Through meticulous plotting and haunting cinematography, the show creates an atmosphere of creeping dread similar to Cassandra's claustrophobic smart home setting. Furthermore, Dark's masterful use of nonlinear storytelling and its focus on the psychological impact of technological power on ordinary families makes it a perfect next watch for those who appreciate Cassandra's blend of sci-fi concepts with intimate family drama.
This groundbreaking Brazilian dystopian thriller provides a compelling look at how technology can be weaponized for social control. Set in an unspecified future, 3% follows a group of 20-year-old candidates from the impoverished "Inland" as they compete in "The Process" - a series of manipulative tests designed to select only 3% of participants to advance to the wealthy "Offshore" society.
The show's examination of how automated systems can be used to break down human relationships and exploit psychological vulnerabilities parallels Cassandra's exploration of A.I. manipulation. Through characters like Michele Santana (Bianca Comparato) and Rafael Moreira (Rodolfo Valente), 3% delves deep into questions of free will, survival, and the moral cost of progress. The series stands out for its diverse cast and its nuanced exploration of how technology can both unite and divide humanity, offering a broader societal perspective on the themes of control and resistance that Cassandra examines in a domestic setting.
Australia's supernatural drama series Glitch may seem like an unlikely companion to Cassandra's technological horror, but both shows excel at using genre elements to explore family dynamics and hidden histories. Glitch follows seven people who mysteriously return from the dead in perfect health but with no memory of their past lives in the small town of Yoorana. Like Cassandra's gradually revealed backstory about its robotic antagonist's origins, Glitch peels back layers of mystery to expose long-buried secrets and connections.
While Glitch approaches its science fiction elements through a supernatural lens rather than a technological one, it shares Cassandra's interest in how extraordinary circumstances can expose the fragility of human relationships and the destructive power of secrets. The series' exploration of what makes us human - our memories, our relationships, our choices - provides a fascinating counterpoint to Cassandra's examination of artificial consciousness and personhood.